Method of reading bar code symbols using a digital-imaging based code symbol reading system employing an event-driven multi-tier modular software architecture and supporting automatic operating system login and loading of bar code symbol reading application

1. A method of reading code symbols using a hand-supportable digital image capturing and processing device, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a hand-supportable digital image capturing and processing device having a hand-supportable housing containing a computing platform having a microprocessor, a memory architecture, and a multi-tier modular software architecture characterized by an operating system (OS) layer and an application layer, wherein said OS layer supports an operating system and includes one or more software modules selected from the group consisting of an OS kernel module, an OS file system module, and device driver modules; and wherein said application layer includes one or more software modules selected from the group consisting of a code symbol decoding module, a function programming module, an application events manager module, a user commands table module, and a command handler module, (b) prior to reading one or more code symbols on an object, said microprocessor rapidly initializing said computing platform by (1) accessing one or more software modules from said OS layer and executing code contained therein, and automatically logging into said operating system; and (2) accessing one or more software modules from said application layer, including at least one code symbol reading application, and executing code contained therein; (c) positioning said hand-supportable digital image capturing and processing device in proximity to the object so that the object is within a field of view (FOV) of image formation optics associated with an image formation and detection subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing and having an area-type image detecting array for detecting imaged light reflected off the object during illumination operations when rows of sensor elements in said area-type image detecting array are enabled so as to detect a 2D digital image of the object formed on said area-type image detecting array; (d) after said computing platform has been initiated, generating a triggering event to enable rows of sensor elements in said area-type image detecting array to become ready for integration of light imaged on said area-type image detecting array; (e) when rows of sensor elements in said area-type image detecting array are ready for integration of light imaged on said area-type image detecting array, (1) automatically producing a field of illumination within said FOV, from an illumination subsystem having an illumination array disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and illuminating the object within said FOV, and (2) automatically detecting a 2D digital image of the illuminated object formed on said area-type image detecting array while said object is being illuminated by said field of illumination; (f) automatically capturing and buffering the detected 2D digital image of the object using an image capturing and buffering subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing; (g) processing the captured and buffered 2D digital image using an image-processing subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and producing processed image data; (h) outputting processed image data to an external host system or other information receiving or responding device, using an input/output subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing; and (i) while using a system control subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, for controlling and/or coordinating the operation of the subsystem components described during steps (a) through (h).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein during step (a), said computing platform further includes a system CORE (SCORE) layer having one or more of software modules selected from the group consisting of a tasks manager module, an events dispatcher module, an input/output manager module, a user commands manager module, the timer subsystem module, an input/output subsystem module and a memory control subsystem module; and wherein step (b) further comprises accessing one or more software modules from said SCORE layer and executing code contained therein.

3. A method, of reading code symbols using a hand-supportable digital image capturing and processing device, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing a hand-supportable digital image capturing and processing device having a hand-supportable housing containing a computing platform having a microprocessor, a memory architecture, and a multi-tier modular software architecture characterized by an operating system (OS) layer and an application layer, wherein said OS layer supports an operating system, and includes one or more software modules selected from the group consisting of an OS kernel module, an OS file system module, and device driver modules: and wherein said application layer includes one or more software modules selected from the group consisting of a code symbol decoding module, a function programming module, an application events manager module, a user commands table module, and a command handler module, (b) prior to reading one or more code symbols on an object, said microprocessor rapidly initializing said computing platform by (1) accessing one or more software modules from said OS layer and executing code contained therein, and automatically logging into said operating system; and (2) accessing one or more software modules from said application layer, including at least one code symbol reading application, and executing code contained therein; (c) positioning said hand-supportable digital image capturing and processing device in proximity to the object so that the object is within a field of view (FOV) of image formation optics associated with an image formation and detection subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing and having an area-type image detecting array for detecting imaged light reflected off the object during illumination operations when rows of sensor elements in said area-type image detecting array are enabled so as to detect a 2D digital image of the object formed on said area-type image detecting array; (d) after said computing platform has been initiated, generating a triggering event to enable rows of sensor elements in said area-type image detecting array to become ready for integration of light imaged on said area-type image detecting array; (e) when rows of sensor elements in said area-type image detecting array are ready for integration of light imaged on said area-type image detecting array. (1) automatically producing a field of illumination within said FOV, from an illumination subsystem having an illumination array disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and illuminating the object within said FOV, and (2) automatically detecting a 2D digital image of the illuminated object formed on said area-type image detecting array while said object is being illuminated by said field of illumination; (f) automatically capturing and buffering the detected 2D digital image of the object using an image capturing and buffering subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing: (g) processing the captured and buffered 2D digital image using an image-processing subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, and producing processed image data; (h) outputting processed image data to an external host system or other information receiving or responding device, using an input/output subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing; and (i) while using a system control subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing, controlling and/or coordinating the operation of the subsystem components described during steps (a) through (h); and wherein in step (a), said computing platform further comprises Flash ROM for storing said code symbol reading application, and RAM for storing said one or more 2D digital images captured and buffered by said image capturing and buffering subsystem.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (d) comprises generating said triggering event by manually actuating a trigger switch integrated with said hand-supportable housing.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein during step (d), said manual actuation of said trigger switch is caused by an operator manually pulling the trigger switch with his or her finger.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein during step (d), said manual actuation of said trigger switch is caused by the placement of said hand-supportable housing within a stand supported on a work surface.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (d) comprises generating said triggering event by automatically detecting the presence of the object in said FOV using an automatic object presence detection subsystem disposed in said hand-supportable housing.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (e) comprises automatically producing said field of visible illumination within said FOV using said illumination array, and said field of visible illumination forming said 2D digital image of the illuminated object on said area-type image detecting array while said object is being illuminated by said field of visible illumination.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said illumination comprises narrow-band illumination produced from an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said area-type image detecting array comprises a CMOS image sensing array.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said object bears a code symbol, and said image-processing subsystem processes said 2D digital image so as to read the code symbol and produce symbol character data representative of said read code symbol.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said code symbol is a bar code symbol selected from the group consisting of a 1D bar code symbol, a 2D bar code symbol and a data matrix type code symbol structure.